Chan Goes for the Gold in Operation Condor

There is something about martial arts movies that entrances me. I've been a casual observer of the genre for years, but only recently discovered Jackie Chan. (O.K. I saw him years ago in Cannonball Run, but that doesn't really count. Heck, Cannonball Run barely counts as a real movie.) When I saw Rumble In The Bronx two years ago, though, I was hooked on Jackie Chan. Needless to say, he is now my favorite action star. (Sorry Jean-Claude...)

While martial arts films are not for everyone, Jackie Chan transcends the genre by combining action, humor, and fun. Gone are the heavy-handed plots of honor and betrayal which dominated the genre during the 1970s. Unlike the Bruce Lee variety, Jackie sets out to make his movies entertaining, first and foremost. The audience is drawn into the fun with a wink and a nod as Jackie reminds us that he doesn't take the story too seriously. It is merely a means to an end, and in this case the end results are chases, fights, and dangerous stunts.

All that said, Operation Condor allows Jackie to do his job and entertain for 91 minutes. Condor was originally released in Hong Kong back in 1991 as the sequel to Armour of God, a movie which has yet to be released in the United States. Armour is not considered one of Jackie's better movies, and is most noted for a swinging vine stunt in which Jackie cracked his skull and nearly died.

The premise of Condor is reminiscent of an Indiana Jones movie. A stash of Nazi gold has been hidden in the Sahara desert since World War II, and the only man who knew where it was has died. The United Nations has recovered the key and a map to the place, so they decide to send Jackie to search for it. Aiding him on this quest are Ada (Carol Cheng) and Elsa (Eva Cobo de Garcia). Along the way, they have to defend themselves against Arab zealots and armed mercenaries who want the key to the vault.

Does any of this matter? Not really. The movie is not about plot as much as visual antics. Without the motorcycle chases and the fights, Condor couldn't hold a candle to most movies. Nevertheless, Jackie Chan does not make movies to change the world. He makes movies so the audience will say, "Wow! How did he do that?" In that respect, Condor certainly fits the bill.

Although it may not be his best movie, Condor offers a good share of action. Most notable is the chase scene in which Jackie (on a motorcycle) is being chased by several black cars through the narrow streets of a Spanish town. There are enough jumps, crashes, and total defiance of physics in this scene to make "The A-Team" proud. There is also a wonderful fight scene in the hidden base which throws several opponents against him at once. None of these scenes, however, holds a candle to the ladder scene in First Strike, my personal favorite.

Jackie Chan may never become the mega-star in the United States that he is in Hong Kong, but you have to give the man points for trying. His style is fresh, fun, and without peer in America. If you've never seen one of his movies, you owe it to yourself to sample one. Make sure you watch the bloopers and out-takes during the credits. They are almost as fun to watch as the movie itself.

MY RATING: 6 out of 10.

RATED:
RUN TIME: 91 min.